Anyone bowfishing with primitive gear?

[swampshooter]

Anyone out there trying to bowfish with a selfbow and primitive arrows/line?  I have been doing a fair amount of bowfishing in Louisiana, using my compound and commercial fiberglass arrrows.  It is really a great time, you do alot of shooting and fill the freezer with redfish.  I think it would be interesting to up the challenge and begin using my homemade selfbows and arrows.  Has anyone else tried this?

[Agbowyer]

I do it every year. Just be sure you got a good finish on your bow. If your like I am, its pretty hard on the finish. I use a tape on reel unless I'm looking for aligator gar. Then I use a float. have fun... Chris

[Dustybaer]

agbowyer, you don't happen to have pics of your gear?  also, what kind of licences are required for bowfishing?  is there a season?

[DanaM]

Can't wait to do some carp shooting this summer, I haven't done it years.

DanaM

[swampshooter]

Thanks for the reply grom Agbower and Dustybaer.  A tape on reel makes good sense.  I agree with the finish on the bow being important, my compound bow is basically rotting away from exposure to salt and sun, I would not want my handmade bow to rot. In answer to the license question, I guess it differs in each State.  In Louisiana "yes, the license plates read Sportsmans Paradise" we bowfish under our annual fishing license.  The season is year long and the limits are by species and size.  You can bowfish at night with lights on the boat.  We use a tunnel-hull flats boat and a pole to get in the shallows.  I've added a blurry 2AM night cameraphone picture of a grandaddy black drum I took bowfishing in Port Sulfer last fall. (good eats!)  Thanks for the posts.

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[swampshooter]

I do it every year. Just be sure you got a good finish on your bow. If your like I am, its pretty hard on the finish. I use a tape on reel unless I'm looking for aligator gar. Then I use a float. have fun... Chris

How about arrows and tips, these have been really important to me for successful fishing so far.  I have been using commercial Muzzy carp and sting-a-ree tips, but would like to craft a primitive tip for the arrow that is effective.  Any ideas on a good bowfinshing arrow design?

[Agbowyer]

Dustybaer, You have to have a fishing license here. You can only shoot nongame species + catfish (blue, channel, and flathead). We go anytime. Walk the banks especially during spawn, boat daytime, or boat with lights at night. If I have time and camera, I'll take some picks tonight, but I use fiberglass arrows and Bear tape on reel. For floats I use old ketsup or mustard sqeeze bottles. You run the line through the tip and make a knot that won't pull back through. I like to silicone it shut after that.

Swampshooter, like I said above I use fiberglass arrows. For tips I use muzzy for soft skinned fish, carp, buffalo, and catfish (snakes too)., but if I'm in an area with gator gar I like warheads best. They don't have to penetrate as deep to lock up. If you made your own, I'd make osage arrows or some other very heavy wood, and then make a barbed steel point out of saw blades or something. It sure wouldn't be quick release though.

[mullet]

  I'll be bowfishing for Gar and Tilapia in the river after all the turkey season's I can hit are over.I use a fibreglass bow,sinew and watwr don't really go together plus that bow takes a beating.Swampshooter,nice drum.Can't say I miss Port Sulfur.I was working there by the big blue water tank from June till the end of Jan.

[Justin Snyder]

How deep does an arrow go when you miss?  Just wondering if I could practice in the cement pond in the back yard.  I saw a float to suspend and practice the other day. Justin

[Agbowyer]

I've done it before in ours, but the wife saw the point hitting the bottom and felt it was too hard. I never saw more than a little bitty divot. Seriously I don't think it hurt anything. She's just picky about her wading hole

[Justin Snyder]

I've done it before in ours, but the wife saw the point hitting the bottom and felt it was too hard. I never saw more than a little bitty divot. Seriously I don't think it hurt anything. She's just picky about her wading hole

I did the work, Im kind of protective too. Justin

[jamie]

not to get off the subject but you all talking about swimming pools made me think of my postman. he got back into archery this year cause he sees me doing it all the time. unfortunatley its a compound. so he gets his tags for deer season and goes out many times without success. one day in his back yard he sees deer grazing so grabs his bow and sneaks around the house. draws back takes aim and hits the trigger. perfect hit. right in the 3 month old above ground swimming pool he had installed. couldnt believe he told me never mind took the shot. lol

[Coo-wah-chobee]

   Justin................Practice shooting into the pool. See how that goes over with the better half ....................................................Eddie...fiberglass bow ...shame on you dude ! .................bob

[Agbowyer]

Jamie, that's too funny. I'd love to see him explaining that one to the wife

[D. Tiller]

Was it an actual deer he shot at or the one painted on the side of the pool?